"Persistence And Determination" with Lilian Shaw

​In this episode of The BOLO Podcast, Mike is speaking with officer and former dispatcher, Lilian Shaw. Lilian immigrated from El Salvador to the US as a small child. She explains her family's fear for their native country during a civil war and how she came to America.

Lily's respect for American law enforcement started at an early age while living in the middle of the LA riots. She spent 14 years as a dispatcher and has now reached her goal of becoming an officer at 39 years of age.

Juicy, Mike and Tamrin discuss what 'The Buried Life' concept is, the one year anniversary of the Route 91 shooting, and this week's law enforcement hot topics.

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Show Take-Aways

Summary of Hot Topics with The Crew:

Juicy hasn't been working out but has been very busy, that is resulting in weight loss.

Mike has not consumed alcohol since the end of July.

He recently had one shot, and it took him an hour to finish.

Mike usually could eat two double combo burritos, and he could only get through half of one.

Juicy has wondered from a ketogenic diet with finding it hard to find keto snacks.

Nuts, beef jerky, pork rinds are good keto snacks on the go that aren't perishable.

Mike isn't overdoing his fats when following a ketogenic diet.

Tracking your macros when following a diet is helpful with accountability.

Have a small group of people that can help hold you accountable for your diet and exercise.

Mike has done three, four-day fasts. He would eat a high-fat meal before shifts and not worry about eating while on patrol.

You can find healthy options by special ordering at restaurants.

The Buried Life is a concept by Ben Nemtin and his friends of doing 100 things before you die.

The Buried Life came from the idea that we live a 'buried life' of work, time, business, etc.

We should have the balance of doing what we want to do in our life and handling our responsibilities.

Ben is now down to 9 things he wants to cross off of his list.

Tamrin took a seminar taught by him, and he advised the class to make their list and share it with your group.

One of Tamrin's personal goals is to go on a mission to Japan in 2019.

You have to hold your self-accountable for your list and take actions.

Everytime you cross something off of your list, your tradeoff is helping someone else and pay it forward by assisting them to cross something off their list.

Tamrin heard from a survivor from the One October shooting. The Route 91 event is coming up on the one year anniversary of the tragic incident.

@p0znanski How do we open the eyes of the department to teach crucial and beneficial training? There is a disconnect between the old mentality and the progressive millennial. Officers should take training into their own hands if their department is lacking. Some departments will pay for your training.

The CDCR often has resources available. You can email the training manager, ask tips for the exam, and which exam they use.

Go the extra mile if being an officer is the profession you want to join. Change your mentality and push yourself.

Summary of Interview with Lilian Shaw:

Lilian Shaw is a police officer in Southern California.

Lily grew up in El Salvador in 1979, during the beginning of the El Salvadorian Civil war.

Her dad owned a mechanic shop and had a child from a previous marriage.

The El Salvadorian army would recruit young men either by force or volunteer.

She had a brother, Wilson, from her dad's previous marriage that was 14 at the time.

Her father was suspected of taking rice and beans to the opposing army hiding in the jungle. He was, but never thought it would result in the discovery of his son being taken and killed.

Wilson was found dead in the trunk of a car after being shot and left to bleed to death.

After the death of Wilson, her dad's life began to change and felt they were coming after him next.

He began to hide to protect his life and his family.

Lily's parents left her in the care of her grandparents from 3 months- 5 years old, until they could send for her, and they headed to the U.S.

The opposing army was fighting for the civil rights of peasants and townspeople.

Lily remembers her uncles and the men in her family fearing for their lives and recruitment to the army.

When Lilian's parents sent for her at five years old, she used her cousin's passport who had red hair and freckles while she had long brown hair and no freckles. She dyed her hair and had to answer to the name Lucy.

At the time, she had no recollection of her parents as her grandparents had raised her.

They didn't want her talking, so they gave her a sleeping pill for the trip.

She woke up in the back of a station wagon with kids around her same age.

After arriving in America, it took her a while to adjust and bond with her three siblings she just met.

In 1992, Lilian was living in South Central LA during the riots.

All of the encounters Lilian had with Law Enforcement was always positive, and she saw them as people that were there to help.

They saw people lighting fires around their neighborhood after the beating of Rodney King and the acquittal for the officers involved. For their safety, they had to remain in the house. Their food started to diminish, and her parents had to get to a grocery store to feed their five children.

Lilian has a degree in broadcast journalism.

She started dispatching during college with her first job at the USC department of public safety.

After receiving her degree, she worked at different agencies gaining experience.

Lilian dispatched for almost 14 years with the ultimate goal of becoming a police officer.

Lily had a hard time getting over the wall and get hired for almost two years.

She kept a positive mindset and chose not to focus on the negative things people, who appeared to be her supporters, were saying behind her back.

The Sierra Madre Police Department selected Lilian to be put through the LA County Sherriff's Academy.

She has now been an officer for six months at 39 years old.

She loves patrolling the streets and develops her style of policing with community policing as a brand new officer.

Lily advises knowing why you want to be an officer, do your research before getting into the profession.